Development of a Personal Electrostatic Precipitator. Final Performance Report

摘要

The evaporation of mineral-oil from filters and substrates during sampling toassess personal exposure to mineral-oil mist was assessed. The study produced a small electrostatic precipitator suitable for personal sampling to determine mist concentrations in the workplace. Mixed cellulose-ester and polyvinyl-chloride filters were compared with electrostatic precipitator in paired laboratory tests. The precipitator collected more mineral-oil mist than either filter, implying that the mineral-oil mist evaporates from sampling filters during the act of sampling itself. Substantially more mineral-oil mist evaporated from the surface of the filters than from the surface of the electrostatic precipitator. Findings suggested that mist concentration samples taken using mixed cellulose-ester or polyvinyl-chloride filters may underestimate the true concentration of mist if the collected droplets are semivolatile. A prototype version of the precipitator was tested in field trials at a transmission factory.